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3 mediums bulging with bees

Two hives I started last spring, overwintered in 3 medfed dry sugar on top of inner cover most of winter.iums. Opened both up today,all 3 mediums packed with bees.My question,Is this the right time to split them.Good brood,pollen and sugar syrup capped. Fed dry sugar on top of inner cover most of winter I intend on letting the bees live in the 3 mediums. But I would like to expand my apiary.Thank you in advance for any insight, Ken

Re: 3 mediums bulging with bees

Throttlebender,I ordered 2 packs thru swoba. I believe the bees came from Parsons in ohio.I did not treat other than used screened bottom board with oil pan under.I learned the hard way about storing wintered supers. Wrapped in plastic bags and kept in garage. Had some moth damage on 3 frames.As I have learned, I was very lucky.There was'nt more.

Re: 3 mediums bulging with bees

I store honey frames in a chest freezer. These are frames that i will only feed back to them. No wax moth problems with freezing! My intention is to feed these frames to new packages for a faster start along with drawn comb, which i also store in freezers to prevent same. Queens ready makes things go faster, otherwise your waiting for queens to hatch, fly out for mateing and return SAFELY!

Re: 3 mediums bulging with bees

Ken, do you have a good amount of drones flying up there yet? You are going to want to make sure that the drones have been out in good force and have time to mature before any emergency queens are made in the splits. After all, the queens can only do their job if they are well mated.

Re: 3 mediums bulging with bees

Ken,
It might be a little early for you to split yet. I can't say for sure about your part of Ohio, but in our area the girls have only been flying for about a week, and we have no drones yet. The only thing the bees are working here is maples, and that has only been since the 17th.
Last year we didn't have a good drone population until close to May.
First swarm last year was May 9th. and we seem to be about a week behind from last year.

Congratulation on overwintering so well, and good luck with your bees!
Joe

Re: 3 mediums bulging with bees

If there is a LOT of capped drone brood, and enough bees to cover them, I say split before they swarm. I don't know about where you are, but Spring came on like a freight train here and our bees got an early start